Mumbai 1993 Bomb Blast Case: Dawood Aide Farooq Takla Convicted In Passport Fraud Case, Sentenced To 5 Years Rigorous Imprisonment

Mumbai: Mohammed Farooq Yasin Mansoor alias Farooq Takla, who was arrested in March 2018 in connection with the 1993 bomb blast case, has now been convicted by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of the Esplanade Court in a separate passport fraud case.

Farooq Takla, a key accused with known ties to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, has been found guilty by a Mumbai court of impersonation and passport fraud. The ruling follows a detailed trial initiated in 2019, which exposed how he used a false identity to travel internationally and evade capture for several years.

Farooq Takla was arrested on March 8, 2018, at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, after arriving from Dubai under the assumed name Mushtaq Mohd. Miya. According to the prosecution, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), acting on credible intelligence, intercepted him and found a forged Indian passport in his possession. This passport was originally issued in 2011 and renewed using documents linked to an earlier passport dating back to 2001.

The court, presided over by ACJM R. D. Chavhan, sentenced Farooq Takla after convicting him under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Passport Act. He was awarded the following punishments.

Under Section 419 (cheating by personation) – Two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000. In default, 15 days of additional rigorous imprisonment. Under Section 420 (cheating) – Five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000. In default, one month of additional rigorous imprisonment. Under Section 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) – Five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000. In default, 15 days of additional rigorous imprisonment. Under Section 471 (using a forged document as genuine) – One year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000. In default, 15 days of additional rigorous imprisonment. Under Section 12(1)(b) of the Passport Act, 1967 – One year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000. In default, 15 days of additional rigorous imprisonment. The court ordered that all sentences shall run concurrently.

During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence demonstrating how Takla had impersonated another individual by forging identity documents, including a passport application and renewal form. Specimen signatures and handwriting samples collected during his custody were examined by forensic experts at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Belapur, conclusively linking him to the fraudulent documents.

Investigating Officer Shivkumar Jayant led the probe and confirmed that Farooq had written letters to the Prime Minister in 2018 under his real name, while his travel documents bore the alias. The original identity holder, Mushtaq Mohd. Miya, was located and confirmed that he had never applied for a passport, nor did he reside at the address cited in the forged documents.

The court accepted testimonies from multiple witnesses, including immigration officers, Air India vigilance personnel, government officials, and handwriting experts. Their statements corroborated that Takla had deceived passport authorities and used forged documents to gain unlawful advantages, including international travel and evading law enforcement.

The court concluded that Takla had fraudulently obtained and used an Indian passport under a false name, thereby committing offences under Sections 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 12(1)(b) of the Passport Act, 1967. The State Government had earlier sanctioned his prosecution, in accordance with the Ministry of External Affairs notification.